Play is a reliable indicator of positive welfare in companion animals. Understanding what constitutes genuine play, how to facilitate it and why it matters builds better human-animal relationships.
Play is not a luxury for companion animals - it is a welfare necessity and a positive welfare indicator that tells us the animal is experiencing something beyond the mere absence of suffering. A cat that plays enthusiastically is experiencing positive emotional states; a cat that has lost interest in play may be experiencing pain, depression or chronic stress. The science of play tells us that it must be species-appropriate, regularly offered and genuinely pleasurable rather than coerced. Interactive play that allows animals to complete prey sequences (stalk, chase, catch, kill for cats; run, chase, retrieve for dogs) is more welfare-positive than passive environmental enrichment alone.